The Pulse: Ted Ginn Jr. should return punts for Cardinals in 2014

Every day, we at ArizonaSports.com ask our readers a question. It’s the Sanderson Ford Poll Question of the Day, and it can be found midway down the right side of our home page.

On Friday, March 14, we asked our readers who should return punts for the Arizona Cardinals in 2014. We narrowed it down to three options to choose from: Patrick Peterson, the newly signed Ted Ginn Jr. and “Other.”

With 963 votes in, the overwhelming response was Ginn, the seven-year return specialist. Seven-hundred-fifty-nine people (79 percent) said he should become the punt returner.

Eighteen percent (270 total votes) said Peterson should return as the Cardinals’ featured return man.

Only 34 voters (4 percent) chose the “Other” option. Cornerback Javier Arenas was the team’s primary kickoff returner in 2013, so perhaps some voters had him in mind. Two backfield players — Alfonso Smith and Andre Ellington — are also listed on the team’s site as backup kickoff return men, but neither returned a punt in 2013. Safety Tyrann Mathieu could also be in the mix as a punt returner in 2014, depending on how he comes back from injury.

Playing for Miami, San Francisco and Carolina before joining the Cardinals, Ginn has returned 156 punts in his career for 1,741 yards and three touchdowns. His longest return — 87 yards — came in his rookie year with the Dolphins. Besides kickoff and punt returning, the 28-year-old Ohio State product boards the Cardinals with a chance to also become the team’s No. 3 option at wide receiver.